How many licensed daycares are in Santa Cruz County?

There are 277 licensed daycare facilities in Santa Cruz County, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.

What types of daycare are available in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County has 168 Family Child Care Home, 63 Child Care Center, 17 Child Care - Infant Center, 15 School Age Child Care Center, 14 Single Licensed Child Care Center. Use the search filters to narrow by type.

How are daycares in Santa Cruz County rated?

Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 91% of facilities in Santa Cruz County have no citations on record.

How much does daycare cost in Santa Cruz County?

Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Santa Cruz County charge approximately $2,065/month for infants, $1,411/month for toddlers, and $1,107/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,765/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Santa Cruz County

Browse and compare licensed childcare providers in Santa Cruz County

277 facilities

14 cities

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in Santa Cruz County

2022 median

$2,065

/ month

infant

$1,411

/ month

toddler

$1,107

/ month

preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $827/month).

277 facilities

14 cities

91% clean

26 avg cap.

Top Cities

Tips for Parents

📊 Well-served area

This area has more facilities than the county average — you have plenty of options to compare.

✅ Strong compliance record

91% of facilities here have no violations — well above the state average.

🏠 Home-based care options

168 of 277 facilities are home-based — great for parents who prefer smaller, more personal settings.

About This County

Daycares in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County is home to 277 licensed daycare facilities across 14 cities, making it a smaller but well-represented daycare market in California. The highest concentration of providers is in Watsonville (139), followed by Santa Cruz (67) and Freedom (18).

Across the county, an impressive 91% of facilities maintain a clean violation record, well above the state average. The average facility capacity is 26 children. Browse by city below to find licensed daycares, preschools, and family child care homes near you.

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